The army’s air mobility has been enhanced by the air force’s acquisition of 10 C-27J Spartan airlifters. These aircraft give the Australian Defence Force much greater flexibility in moving personnel and cargo to remote locations, whether across northern Australia, or into the Pacific and PNG. But the C-27J platform can do much more than haul cargo. One of the most impressive military capabilities is the role of an airborne gunship. With a heritage dating to converted C-47s, nicknamed ‘‘Puff the Magic Dragon’’, that supported US forces in Vietnam, modern gunships such as the AC-130J version of the Hercules have been...